FIG. 8 to FIG. 11 show prior art to this invention. Prior art in this category is comprised of a front section known as a front triangle and a rear section known as a rear triangle. The rear triangle is connected to the front triangle using any number of connection methods which may or may not employ bearings, bushings, axles, clamps and flexible links. A shock absorbing unit is connected between the front and the rear to allow the rear to move at a regulated rate with regard to the front. Any number of different connection methods for controlling the rate of movement can be used. The front section is typically but not in all cases comprised of a tube which carries the seat apparatus, a tube which carries the steering apparatus, and a tube which carries a crank and pedal assembly. These three tubes are connected together in any number of different ways to form the front section. The front section general prior art may have a single point of connection between the two (front and rear) or multiple points of connection using any number of different connection methods and pivot and or link configurations. The rear section is typically comprised of an apparatus/part to mount a wheel, considered in most cases the rear wheel, this apparatus/part is known as and will be referred to as a dropout. In most, but not all configurations, tubes will extend from the dropout forward, a typical (but not limited to) configuration incorporates a lower set of tubes constructing an arm member known as the chainstay arms and an upper set of tubes known as the seatstay arms. Typically, but not in all configurations, these arms will provide, at the opposite end of the dropouts, a location to mount the rear triangle to the front triangle, and/or a variety of links or members, consisting of, or not, bearings, bushings, axles, and/or clamps and other possible apparatus to provide rotation. Attachment to the front triangle can be at single or multiple location, dependant on the design, however there will be specifically a single pivot that will control the arc/movement of the chainstay arms and/or rear triangle, that the pivot will be considered and referred to as the main pivot. The front triangle will have a location which is considered the main pivot, and the rear triangle will have a means for attaching to this location.
FIG. 12 discloses another conventional suspension system known to applicant. This conventional suspension system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,936, in which rear triangle movement is controlled by a shock absorbing unit which starts its movement (is at its lowest potential energy state) at its shortest length between attachment points and grows longer as the rear triangle moves to a higher potential energy state. Such a shock absorbing unit is commonly referred to as an extension (pull) shock.
FIG. 13 discloses another conventional suspension system known to applicant. The shown front section is known as a front triangle and a rear section known as a rear triangle. The rear triangle is connected to the front triangle using any number of connection methods which may or may not employ bearings, bushings, axles, clamps and flexible links. A shock absorbing unit is connected between the front and the rear to allow the rear to move at a regulated rate with regard to the front. Any number of different connection methods for controlling the rate of movement can be used. The front section is typically but not in all cases comprised of a tube which carries the seat apparatus, a tube which carries the steering apparatus, and a tube which carries a crank and pedal assembly. These three tubes are connected together in any number of different ways to form the front section. The front section general prior art may have a single point of connection between the two (front and rear) or multiple points of connection using any number of different connection methods and pivot and or link configurations. The rear section is typically comprised of an apparatus/part to mount a wheel, considered in most cases the rear wheel, this apparatus/part is known as and will be referred to as a dropout. In most, but not all configurations, tubes will extend from the dropout forward, a typical (but not limited to) configuration incorporates a lower set of tubes constructing an arm member known as the chainstay arms and an upper set of tubes known as the seatstay arms and/or a variety of links or members, consisting of, or not, bearings, bushings, axles, links and/or clamps and other possible apparatus to provide rotation. However direct connection of chainstay members/rear triangle to the main/lower pivot of the front triangle is not made, instead, some means of links/alternative connection is used to divide the front section and the chainstay member/rear section members. The front triangle will have a location which is considered the main pivot or lower pivot.
FIG. 14 discloses another conventional suspension system known to applicant. Shown is a front section known as a front triangle and a rear section known as a rear triangle. The rear triangle is connected to the front triangle using any number of connection methods which may or may not employ bearings, bushings, axles, clamps, and flexible links. A shock absorbing unit is connected between the front and the rear to allow the rear to move at a regulated rate with regard to the front. Any number of different connection methods, links, pivots, etc, for controlling the rate of movement can be used. However the shock absorbing unit has one end that generally points to the tube that carries the crank and pedal assembly and is located generally in that area. The opposite end of the shock generally points in an upward direction. The shock is of compression (push) shock variety, specifically has a lower potential energy at the position which the ends of the shock are at the furthest distance apart. The front section is typically but not in all cases comprised of a tube which carries the seat apparatus, a tube which carries the steering apparatus, and a tube which carries a crank and pedal assembly. These three tubes are connected together in any number of different ways to form the front section. The front section general prior art may have a single point of connection between the two (front and rear) or multiple points of connection using any number of different connection methods and pivot and or link configurations. The rear section is typically comprised of an apparatus/part to mount a wheel, considered in most cases the rear wheel, this apparatus/part is known as and will be referred to as a dropout. In most, but not all configurations, tubes will extend from the dropout forward. A typical (but not limited to) configuration incorporates a lower set of tubes constructing an arm member known as the chainstay arms and an upper set of tubes known as the seatstay arms and/or a variety of links or members, consisting of, or not, bearings, bushings, axles, links and/or clamps and other possible apparatus to provide rotation.
FIG. 15 discloses another conventional suspension system known to applicant. Shown is the front section known as a front triangle and a rear section known as a rear triangle. The rear triangle is connected to the front triangle using any number of connection methods which may or may not employ bearings, bushings, axles, clamps and flexible links. A shock absorption unit is connected between the front and the rear to allow the rear to move at a regulated rate with regard to the front. Any number of different connection methods for controlling the rate of movement can be used. However, the connection of the shock absorbing unit at the main frame shares a point of attachment which is also considered the main triangle main or lower pivot. The front section is typically but not in all cases comprised of a tube which carries the seat, a tube which carries the steering apparatus, and a tube which carries a crank assembly. These three tubes are connected together in any number of different ways to form the front section. The front section general prior art may have a single point of connection between the two (front and rear) or multiple points of connection using any number of different connection methods and pivot and or link configurations. However, such pivot location does not include the use of bearings affixed into the section known as the front triangle. The rear section is typically comprised of a location to mount a wheel, considered in most cases the rear wheel, a place to mount to the front section consisting or not of bearings, bushings, axles, standard links and flexible links. This can be a single location or multiple dependant on the design, however specifically does not use a clamping mechanism that clamps to an axle or shaft which extends through the front section. Moreover, the bearings, or bushings or other means of providing rotation (or other means of housing that means of rotation) are not housed, or are a part of the front triangle.
FIG. 16 discloses another conventional suspension system 80 for bicycles, and includes a front part 81, a rear part 82, and a shock absorbing unit 83. The front part 81 includes a top tube 811, a down tube 815, and a seat tube 813 connected to two respective second ends of the top and down tubes 811, 815. A bottom bracket 814 is connected to the second end of the down tube 815 and the lower end of the seat tube 813. The rear part 82 includes two seat stays 821 and two chainstays 822. Two second ends 826 of the two chain stays 822 are pivotally connected to the rear of the bottom bracket 814 at the pivot point 818. A shock absorbing unit 84 has one end pivotally connected to a pivot point 817 under the top tube 811. The other end of the first cylinder 841 is pivotally connected the two second ends of the seat stays 821 at pivot point 824.
When shocks are transferred to the rear wheel of the bicycle, the rear part 82 is pivoted about the pivot point 818 and the two second ends of the seat stays 821 are pivoted about the pivot point 824 so that the cylinders 841 are operated to absorb the shocks.